"xsparkEge" not xsparkage.

I am sick of assholes. Assholes who fuck their way through life, fucking others. 

I mean, I just had an email from some scammer telling me I won a comp I entered on Youtube for XSparkage. I noticed (and so did McAfee) that it wasn't genuine and was actually from "XSparkege" and my heart sank. I thought karma had finally dealt me a good hand and said "Hey Faerie, you put up with a lot of crap, and I know it's been really tough for you lately, so I thought it was time for some good shit to even out the balance" But it was some greedy asshole, playing off people's emotions.

I don't feel too bad for me (well a little) but I feel awful for the younger viewers watching who may be naive and just click and enter details and think they really have won.  IF YOU HAVE A MESSAGE FROM THAT USER YOU HAVE NOT WON. The giveaway is not over early- that's a lie. When it finishes, she will EMAIL the winner.

I feel the most awful for Leesha herself. She's a good person (as far as you can judge someone over the internet) and she was one of the first YT make-up gurus I ever followed. The whole make-up online community is strained right now because we're all worried about Talia Joy and her family right now. She's the bravest little make-up guru and Covergirl ever.

I'm angry. Why are there so many dicks in the world trying fuck everything up for good people. I want Leesha to know that it's not her fault even though she feels awful right now. It's some opportunistic asshole trying to scam the good natured beauty/make-up community. *angry Faerie*. You wouldn't like me when I'm angry. ROOOAAAAAR!!!

An apology and some link love

I'm so sorry I've not been updating here. I've really not been well and I can't keep up with posting on here. There's so many new releases etc I have wanted to discuss on here, but I can't help but feel other places do it better, and I'm just not well enough to keep up with the fast paced beauty world on here, especially since I created a group on Livejournal that has become very popular and requires moderation... (details at the bottom of this post) ***


I don't want to stop blogging, so hopefully this isn't the end of the Fair Fae, but I am having a break.
Please read some of the other great beauty blogs out there instead, for now- they're more reliable and write better than me anyway!

These are some of my favourites:

http://www.temptalia.com/
http://www.phyrra.net/
http://www.lipsticksandlightsabers.com/
http://portraitofmai.blogspot.co.uk/
http://lillianfunnyface.blogspot.co.uk/
http://www.abrilliantbrunette.com/
http://www.britishbeautyblogger.com/
http://www.musingsofamuse.com/
http://dustyohunter.com/
http://www.scrangie.com/
http://the-swatchaholic.com/
http://www.xsparkage.com/
http://www.pinksith.com/
http://www.thenailasaurus.com

***http://highendcosmetic.livejournal.com/ The content there is all members only and membership is moderated. If you come from here and want to join, please let me know in a private message (on LJ)  that you came from The Fair Fae and leave links to your feedback from sites such as eBay or, preferably, http://www.makeupalley.com/ . I will also inspect your public LJ posts (well I'll skim!) just to check if you're a pop up scamming page. Thanks! These measures are only because of so much swaplifting and thievery in other beauty related communities. Thankfully, our group is doing well and has had no issues so far *touch wood* I have some excellent mods from all over the globe! 

Follow up to Urban Decay's Press Release. Q and A

Yes UD, I'm talking about you.

I hate to just copy and paste from another blog, so I won't. Go over to Temptalia for a full Q&A session with Urban Decay. Be warned, fantastic questions asked, and bullshit answers given so you won't learn much other than I'm stroking my chin in wonder about Urban Decay and searching for replacements for their Primer Potion... I think they're being very flaky and I'm not sure I believe anything they're saying right now. I still stand by what I've said before, and I don't agree with their choice to sell in China. I nearly died laughing when they said something about using Social Media to spread their message in China... they clearly don't know that bloggers go to jail in China and bits of Youtube and Google are banned. Freedom of Speech doesn't exist in any form in China.

Epic Fail Urban Decay. EPIC FAIL.

Again...

Read here: http://www.temptalia.com/qa-with-urban-decay-a-follow-up-on-animal-testing-and-entry-into-china

I know I refer to Temptalia a lot, but she's my favourite beauty blogger, and most of the time I can't say it as well as she can!

Urban Decay Press Statement: Animal Testing and China

From Urban Decay:

Urban Decay is going to sell our products in China. Because of China’s policies on animal testing, we know that this will not be a popular decision with some of our loyal customers. But the decision is a thoughtful one.

For 16 years, we have been committed to two key causes: women’s rights, and the fight against animal testing. Our dedication to those causes will not waver.

For those of you unfamiliar with China’s policies, the sticking point is this: the Chinese government reserves the right to conduct animal testing with cosmetic products before the products are approved for use by Chinese citizens. The government has not told us if they have exercised this right with our products. So, our brand does not test on animals, but the Chinese government might conduct a one-time test using our products. Do we like China’s policies? No…and that is really the point. Going into China was a huge decision for Urban Decay. But, we believe that change cannot and will not happen by outside pressure alone in a closed market. Change can only happen from within. When we enter the Chinese market, we will do our part to help make those changes.

When we were considering expanding into China, a group of marketing consultants told us to remove the section of our company history that describes our crusade against animal testing. “It doesn’t mean anything to the Chinese beauty customer,” they said. Of course, we refused. Our “no animal testing” policy is part of who we are, and has been since day one. The news that animal issues don’t even register with the average Chinese consumer was one of the biggest factors in our decision to go there. During Urban Decay’s infancy, we worked hard to inform consumers about animal rights in the United States and Europe. The battleground for animal rights is now in China, and we want to be there to encourage dialogue and provoke change.

We also hope to shed some light on women’s rights issues in China. As a company that caters to a female customer, this is extremely important to us. For one thing, going into China is a way for us to advance women into important professional positions. We will help grow the cosmetics industry, which primarily employs and creates career paths for women. Although workers’ employment rights are a relatively new concept there, progress has been made partially because of pressure from businesses, consumers, and advocacy groups from other countries. Based on this, our belief is that both an outside force and inside pressure for change can result in helping transform both the importance of women and animal testing policies in China. And more importantly, we hope to influence the perspective of the citizens on both of these issues.

If we don’t go to China, other companies without our beliefs will, and the culture will never change. We want to encourage a culture of consumers who care enough to buy cruelty-free products, and who view professional women as role models who influence their lives on a daily basis.

Yes, we are a for-profit company. And yes, we would eventually like to make money in China. But we don’t stand to turn a profit in China for quite a while, partially because the market isn’t quite ready to sustain an untraditional brand like ours. If it were only about the money, we would wait a few years. But our foray into this market is also about participating in an amazing time of change in China. We don’t like animal testing (and neither do the 13 dogs in our office), but we are trying to change the world… even if it is one eye shadow at a time! Sitting on the sidelines isn’t our style. We understand that you might not like our decision, but we hope you can respect it.

Source for article: http://www.temptalia.com/

For any advocates or Urban Decay fans interested, Urban Decay founding partner Wende Zomnir will host a live chat on urbandecay.com to answer questions about our entry into China.

This post got a bit serious, so I thought it needed more kittens.

Not sure what to think of all that. I'm vehemently against animal testing in cosmetics, but at the same time, Urban Decay makes sense in what they say. Change must happen from within. Sadly, it's neither my place here in the UK or Urban Decay's place in the US to say what happens in China... but then, would they rethink their policies on animal testing in China by people outside the country with-holding products they desire? No. I doubt it. China has different ways of thinking to some of us in the western world, and we have no more right to tell them that they are wrong, than they have to tell us we are wrong. I suppose education is key and Urban Decay can potentially educate from within, then it's China's own choice as to whether they do anything about it or not. I strongly suspect "or not" is the way China will stay though...

New MAC releases for June 2012!

Last night I was checking the MAC UK website as I do regularly (I'm so sad, I do keep checking back for new releases as they don't always release things on dates they say they will!!) and what do I spy but Casual Colour and Beth Ditto?!? YAY!

Beth Ditto

We've also now got Perennial Pinks which has been on the US site for ages now, and Extended Play Lash

I'm still too poor to buy anything which makes me a very Sad Panda, but I love the look of the Beth Ditto Shade and Smoke Shadow Liners, as I'm hoping they're like sort of double ended Shadesticks and I looooove my Shadesticks! From the lipsticks, I love the look of Heart Hangover and Dear Diary, but I probably won't actually buy any this time. Powder to the People is so unique, it really intrigues me... I'm not sure how useful it would be from a practical side, but it is gorgeous! Seeing reviews though, I'm not sure I need it in my life! I'm too poor, but I am hankering for the double ended Shadesticks!

Casual Colour

Casual Colour... well the lip and cheek cremes are the focus aren't they? Everything else is just decoration for those! I'd very much like to try those, but I can't really tell which are the best yet. I need Temptalia to do some full swatches to help me. I can't pick anything unless I've seen Christine's swatches! She's getting through them but they're not all up yet. Thanks Christine! <3 So far I like the look of Have a Lovely Day and Evening Stroll. Lilacs and blue based pinks look good on me, so I was gravitating towards those.


Perennial Pinks are nothing new I don't think (I could be wrong) and well... Extended Play Lash is a mascara *shrug* I have mascaras I'm happy with already!


So, what are you lot thinking about the June releases? And the Diamond Jubilee weekend is starting here in the UK! I should probably do some sort of make-up look in honour of that or something. I'm really not a royalist though!

EDITED UPDATE: from what Christine on Temptalia has said about the Shadow and Smoke liners from Beth Ditto, I had to come back and tell you all to read her review if you're considering them. I've been put right off. :\ http://www.temptalia.com/mac-beth-ditto-shade-smoke-shadowliners-review-photos-swatches *sad panda* I'd probably look like a sad panda too had I bought Little Miss Moffet as I planned!

Really Simple Vegan Lip Scrub

My lips have taken a real beating over the last week. The British weather really is designed to confuse and we get a reputation for always talking about it, but if you had weather that changed so frequently an so massively, you would too!!

Only a fortnight ago I was freezing, reaching for my onesie pyjamas and thermal socks, and then right now, it's hot and humid. I'm sitting with a fan pointed at me wearing not very much and still feeling warm, so it isn't surprising really that my skin is unhappy at all, but I was surprised to have cracked, dry bleeding lips in this weather- that's something that normally happens in the biting cold for me. I assume it's because of all the air conditioning and fans recirculating air. I have been applying Blistex religiously to heal my lips, but I though perhaps they could do with a good scrub!

I've never scrubbed my lips before actually, but I thought I'd search Google and find a recipe, and most of them contain honey, which I hate, and isn't vegan friendly. I'm not a vegan, but I appreciate how hard it is for vegans, especially as my best friend turned to veganism only a few years ago. I also spotted recipes with almond oil in and I am VERY allergic to almonds so that's out.. SO I decided to make my own containing:

Brown Sugar
Bicarbonate of Soda
Olive Oil
Vanilla Essence

I can't tell you ratios or amounts as I'm crap at that. I'm the kind of chef that does things by eye mostly! Just a dash of vanilla, to flavour and scent it all, teeny bloop of olive oil to moisturise, then a combination of the two dry scrubby things in enough to make a paste (more sugar than bicarb will make it less harsh)

Mix it all up in no particular order. I used a teeny wooden spoon and mixed it in a little tupperware tub that I was going to store it in anyway, but you could transfer it to a jar.

I've now put mine in the fridge as I'm sure it will be even nicer when it's ice cold (assuming I can get it out of the tub!

Scrub that on your lips with a finger or toothbrush in a circular motion, then rinse off with warm water and moisturise with with olive oil or a lip balm of choice (I've put the Blistex on again so it can heal any remaining cracks)

Let me know if you give it a go!

Eurovision 2012

This year's logo

Today here in Europe, it is Eurovision 2012! Hosted this year in Baku, Azerbaijan, the competition is on RIGHT NOW. The UK entry is, in my opinion, pretty awful. Engelbert Humperdinck? REALLY? Oh well. Anyway, for those who don't know, every year there is a contest held across Europe, where each country enters a musical act, and every country votes on the other acts and allocated points from 1 to 12 to their favourites, and the winning country hosts next year (Azerbaijan win last year). See here for full details about Eurovision.





Anyway I wanted to do a Eurovision themed Face of the Day, and instead of going down the patriotic route, I decided to take inspiration from the logo. I thought there would be enough patriotism to come in the UK this year with the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and the Olympics to come!!

So I took a rather literal translation of the logo really (picture up at the top)

It's all Sugarpill Burning Heart palette. Even my lips. I used a Nivea lip gloss and mixed with the shadows! It's all Buttercupcake, Flamepoint and Love + and that's it aside from Urban Decay Primer Potion, MAC Select Foundation and an LA Colors face powder.


I was most annoyed that my brows look brown/auburn. I packed them full of Flamepoint!


What do you think? Sorry the photos aren't that great but the sun had gone down- I couldn't get into my studio to do this until the sun was down as it gets really hot in there at the moment. Enjoy Eurovision and good luck to Engelbert and the United Kingdom! (Please don't let Jedward win.. please!)

Adventures in Eyebrows THE RETURN!

Hello my lovely fair friends! Sorry I've been lax, I know I apologise a lot, but my health has been a little rough lately. I decided to cheer myself up today by playing with make-up!

Big pouty lips!

I got my Burning Heart palette from Sugarpill last week. Frustratingly, just before the new Heartbreaker palette came out which is gorgeous! When I ordered, however, there was no inkling of them releasing the new shinies, but Royal Mail f***ed up and lost my parcel, and after waiting the six weeks, Sugarpill were really sweet and not only reshipped my order, but they changed my order from Supreme Lashes to Shady Lane Lashes because I'd originally wanted the Shady Lane ones but they were out of stock.. so ultimately I got what I wanted, I just had to wait 7 weeks for it! The second order arrived so quickly though! Royal Mail were a bit rubbish again and left my parcel behind a plant pot in my front garden, and it was only down to sheer luck that my husband found it!

On the left there is the incredibly quick look I did with the Burning Heart palette, MAC Dame blush and MAC Quick Sizzle lipstick.

By the way, I'm aware I look very miserable in all the photos, pretty much! There's one smiley one at the end...

Sorry about the wet hair... it's a warm day!

Anyway! Today I continued my Adventures In Eyebrows! I know. You can barely contain your excitement can you? With my Sugarpill order I got a free sample of Magentrix loose eyeshadow. This wasn't high on my wishlist before, but when I used it mixed with water to draw on brows, it looks quite good when you have pink hair! (Even if it does need bleaching at the roots and redying....)


Products used for this look: 

MAC Lucky Jade Shadestick over the inner corner of the eye and over the upper part of the lid with MAC Bitter and MAC Swimming eye-shadows over it.

MAC Sea Me Shadestick on the lower part of the middle of the lid with MAC Electric Eel eyeshadow over that.

Out corners of the eye have Poison Plum by Sugarpill, and I then used Poison Plum wet to line under my eyes.

To highlight I used MAC Lemon Chiffon Shadestick with Sugarpill Tiara over that.

Finally that yummy Sugarpill Magentrix sample, I used wet (just with water) to line under the Poison Plum line and did the brows.

I love the Shady Lane lashes!

Lashes are Shady Lane from Sugarpill. They are just as beautiful as I dreamed they would be! Lengen....dary..

Oooh I look possessed! It's not a photogenic day today...

I used MAC Azalea Blossom blush ombre on my cheeks, and highlighted with MAC Naked pigment

See? I promised a smile in here at the end!

Lips are MAC New York Apple and I tapped some of that Sugarpill Magentrix sample into them which pulls it all together I think.

Sorry I haven't done my hair in any of the photos. It's a ridiculously warm day today here in the UK so I decided to just wash my hair and leave it to dry on it's own. The idea of using a hair drier or straighteners today was not appealing to me at all! Hopefully I'm going to re-dye my hair soon as well and get rid of those pesky roots.

What do you guys think then? I am in love with the intensity, pigmentation and formula of all the Sugarpill shadows. I practically drooled all over the keyboard when I first saw the Heart Breaker palette too! I will have to start counting my pennies for that!